Shades of Grey
by Growlmon1
Summary: When Kluke transports the Shu-tachi out of Nene's lair, they find themselves in Zola's village. They learn about Zola's family, but it turns out her younger sister despises Zola for unknown reasons. When it's time for them to leave, she decides to follow.
1. Prologue

_If the summary seemed familiar to you, then you read the other version to this story. Oh yeah, I'm rewriting "Truth Behind the Darkness" yet again. Sorry everyone, it just got off track. And after a while I got fed up with it. But this time I can assure no more rewrites! I've had this ready for a while, but was too nervous to post it since I've already rewritten this story before. But let's say there was a "voice" that told me I should go through with uploading it. _

_It's been a while since I've been on this archive, and I see there's a lot of new fanfics up. It'll take me some time to read them, but a few have already caught my interest. *sighs* Things have been... hectic, and I'm still trying to deal with it all. So I won't be on as much as I'd like, but I will be working on my fanfics. _

_Disclaimer: I don't own Blue Dragon._

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><p><em>"<em>_I... Those children.." Bright aura flared around Zola as she cried out, "I will protect them!"_

_Kluke, who was watching on, gave a small smile. Despite her tears she found hope in her friend's words. "Zola.."_

_Nene, however, found this amusing. With his lips twitched in a smirk, he called upon his shadow. "It seems you're finally serious, now I shall become serious as well!" A vicious roar echoed throughout the empty room as Chimera took his form. Chimera and Killer Bat glared at each other, awaiting the command of their respective users._

_On the other side of the room, four bodies lay motionless. Kluke was currently shaking one of them. "Shu! Wake up! If you don't Zola will.. All of us will.. Please, open your eyes.." She laid her head on his chest, sobbing. "I can't do it. I'm useless!"_

_"You're so kind..." Kluke opened her eyes, remembering a previous talk with Zola._

_"Not at all!" she had replied._

_"There's no need to argue. That kindness of yours will become your strength."_

_Kluke shook her head. "Kindness can't become strength."_

_A soft voice spoke in her mind. "Are you sure?" Kluke sat up, looking around for the speaker._

_"Hornet Assassin!" Killer Bat's attack was cancelled by Chimera's flame. Chimera proceeded to slam his fist into the other shadow's stomach, then shoved him into the wall. Zola was thrown back onto the floor. _

_Nene never lost his smirk as he slowly approached her. "How terrible you must feel; losing to a coward like me." Zola raised her sword, as if that would keep him away. Nene held his palms out. "Prepare yourself."_

_"Stop it!" Kluke cried, stepping in front of her fallen friend and throwing her arms out. "Stop hurting everyone!"_

_"Kluke!" Zola called out, not wanting any harm to come to the girl._

_"Some guts you have," Nene mocked. "but it's impossible. All of you will die." Chimera placed his hands close together. A purple ball of energy gathered between them. He raised his arms, waiting for the order to unleash his attack._

_"Don't.." Kluke continued. No hesitation in her voice, determination shining in her eyes. _

_"Vanish!" Nene commanded, his shadow releasing the stored energy._

_A bright light covered Kluke, as it faded a giant, pink phoenix hovered above her. Zola gasped at the summoning of the shadow. The phoenix's wings covered her user, moments before Chimera's attack hit them. A birds screech sounded as everything turned white._

* * *

><p>Eyelids flew open, revealing icy blue eyes gleaming with shock. Zola jerked up into a sitting position, her surroundings were unfamiliar. She looked around, it appeared she was in a room, but not one that seemed unfriendly. The room looked like one that belonged in someone's house; someone's bedroom. One thought struck her: where was she? Another came up as she realized she was alone. <em>Where are the kids?<em>

She swung her legs over the edge of the bed she was on. Pain coursed through her body at the movement, she pushed it down, finding her comrades was more important. Zola exited the room, finding herself in a hallway. Two other doors were there, closer to the end of the hall, the other toward the staircase.

The back room appeared to be another bedroom, no one was in there. The second room was a bathroom. Zola practically jumped down the stairs, her concern for her comrades increasing. As she reached the bottom she examined the room, she sighed with relief as she found the kids, all unconscious.

Kluke and Bouquet were laid out on the two couches, covered with blankets. Shu, Jiro, and Marumaro were sprawled out on the floor, sheets covered them as well. Each one had bandages on their wounds. Zola calmed herself, wherever they were, they were out of harms way.. For now. She decided to seek out the owners of the house, and to thank them for helping her companions. The running of water caught her attention, she followed it and found herself in the kitchen. There was a middle-aged woman cooking.

"I don't mean to intrude.." she started, trying to gain the woman's attention. As the woman turned, Zola felt her breath stop, her throat thicken.

The woman smiled. "It's no problem at all. I'm just glad you're awake, Zola."

She stepped back, partially leaning against the wall. "O-Okaasan?"

Her face changed to one of concern. "Are you alright? Would you like to sit down?"

Zola didn't hear her as she continued to stare in shock. The last person she ever expected to see was her mother, much less wake up in her house. _Wait.. That means.. This is my house! _That room she woke up in, it was her old bedroom!

Her mother sadly smiled. "I know you must be surprised, I know I was when you were brought here, especially in such horrible condition."

"Brought here?" Zola asked once she found her voice.

"Yes, a few village kids found you and your friends unconscious just outside the village." Her mother explained. "One of the older folks recognized you as my daughter and brought you all here." Tears found their way to her eyes. "I was so happy to see you, yet so worried to see you so hurt."

"Okaasan." Zola cleared her throat, not used to the term. "Don't worry, I'm fine. It's the children who you should be worried about."

She nodded. "Yes, but you are _my_ child. I'll always be worried about you." Zola sighed, sitting down in a kitchen chair. Her mother decided to change the subject. "I've made enough food for your friends, should they wake up soon. It should be ready in about fifteen minutes." Zola nodded. "I'm sorry, I know you must be confused."

"I just need to get used to being back here, it's been so long."

"Indeed."

It was silent for about five minutes before a voice was heard. "Wha..? Zola?"

Her mother smiled. "It seems one of your friends has finally risen."

"In here, Shu." Zola called, identifying the voice as his.

Seconds later the young boy stumbled in. "Zola, where are we? What happened with Nene?"

"Calm down Shu, I'm not entirely sure on what happened myself. Let's wait until everyone wakes up, maybe then we'll figure it out."

He nodded. "Okay."

"You're good with kids, then again why am I surprised?" Her mother laughed, turning to Shu. "How are you feeling?"

Shu scratched his head. "I'm feeling fine, Miss.. uh.."

"Call me Mariko."

"Mariko-san, then." Shu said, smiling. He turned to his mentor. "Zola, do you know her?"

"Yes," Zola braced herself for his reaction. "She's my mother."

"_What?_" Shu gaped. "But- I mean, you- Who- _What?_"

Mariko laughed at his sputtering, Zola lightly smiled. "I'll explain when everyone wakes, alright?" Shu nodded, still unable to form words. He sat at the table as well, fidgiting as the atmosphere felt awkward to him. He always tried not to look foolish in front of Zola, the person he considered his teacher. Now he was dealing with her _mother_, least to say he felt uncomfortable.

One by one the other started to rise, joining them in the kitchen. When asked about Mariko, Zola responded with, "She's the woman who found and took care of us." as she didn't want to constantly repeat the same explanation. Soon everyone sat in the kitchen, all except one.

Shu stomped his foot. "Why hasn't Kluke woken up yet?"

Zola looked at him. "Easy Shu, she summoned her shadow, as well as got us out of Grand Kingdom territory. That requires a lot of power, it's only natural she's still unconscious."

That seemed to calm him. "Yeah, I guess so."

"Are you all hungry?" Mariko asked, setting out plates of food to each person at the table. They nodded, Shu and Marumaro attacked their plates once they received it. "I'll put a plate aside for your friend when she wakes up."

"Thank you, Okaasan." Zola said, waiting for the others to comment.

Everyone, besides Shu, froze in the middle of their meal. "_What?_"

Zola sighed. "This is my mother." Their eyes switched back and forth between Mariko and Zola, finding the resemblence. Mariko had long silver hair, and pale blue eyes. she looked like an older version of Zola.

Bouquet stared in awe. "You guys look so alike. How did we not figure it out?"

Jiro scoffed. "It's not surprising that you didn't."

"You didn't either, so shut it!" Shu spat back at him.

"Shu, Jiro, that's enough." Zola said in a reprimanding tone. The two boys didn't say anything from that point, but they did occasionally send glares at each other.

Mariko laughed. "It feels nice having the house full of children again, I feel younger."

"What do you mean full of children?" Shu asked. "I thought Zola was an only child."

"Oh no," she answered. "She has a younger sister."

All the children shot her a look saying, "Anything _else_ you wanna tell us?"

Zola sighed, she didn't need all this tension. Certainly not during their current predicament. Her sister hadn't even come to mind, at all. Zola felt a slight pang of guilt, that should have been one of the first things on her mind. Although, her companions were injured, so it's understandable.

"I can't believe we're actually meeting Zola's family, maro." Marumaro said. He suddenly got a dreamy look on his face. "A younger sister, maro.." Bouquet punched him, knocking any innapropriate thoughts out of the Devee's mind.

"Where is she?" Zola asked quietly. Everyone else grew quiet as well, finally realizing how difficult it must be for Zola at the moment.

Mariko shrugged. "She's been gone all day, but she always does that. I'm not quite sure when she'll be home."

"She doesn't tell you?" Zola asked, feeling as though her sister was causing unnecessary worry for their mother.

She smiled, knowing what her daughter was thinking. "She always tells me if she leaves the village, if not then I know she's around here somewhere. I do worry about her, just as much as I worry about you."

"Why would she leave?" Bouquet asked. "Is she some kind of traveler?"

"No, but sometimes it's necessary."

"I wish we could meet her." Shu said, leaning back in his chair.

"You will, it's nearly dark." Mariko pointed out. "Now, if you'll excuse me since I am rather old, I'm going to finish these dishes and then head up to bed."

Bouquet stood. "Oh, don't worry about it. I'll take care of it."

"Oh, dear. I couldn't."

"Really, it's no trouble. After all you helped us, and fed us. It's the least I can do."

Mariko smiled. "Thank you, you're so sweet." Bouquet blushed and started to gather the dishes. Mariko turned to her daughter. "It's so nice to have you back home, Zola. I'll see you all in the morning." She slowly made her way upstairs.

Shu smiled. "Your mom's really nice, Zola." He frowned as a thought came to him. "Why have you never mentioned them?"

"I didn't think it was important." Zola stood. "I'm going to check on, Kluke." As Zola left the room, it left the other Shadow Users to remember how easily they were defeated by Nene.

"We didn't stand a chance, maro." Marumaro whined, setting his head on the table.

Shu clenched his fists. "He laughed the whole time, we were nothing but flies to him!" He stood so abruptly, his chair fell over. The others looked at him in shock. "I need to take a walk." She marched out of the room, soon the sound of a door opening and closing was heard. Marumaro walked into the room they woke up in, wanting to check up on Kluke as well. Bouquet slowly did the dishes, her thoughts occupied with their defeat. Jiro sat in his chair, his arms folded. A scowl permanant on his face as he remembered Nene dodging their attacks with ease.

He sighed. _Why were we so easily defeated? Surely Zola wouldn't have taken us to a battle we had no chance of winning. That just proves how strong Nene is. _Jiro rose from his chair. _I need to train even harder if I'm going to defeat that monster! _Without a word, he walked out the door in search of his rival.

* * *

><p>Zola sighed, rubbing at her temples. Kluke didn't show any signs of waking up, she was in a coma. All the strain of using that much power overworked her system. The confrontation with Nene did a number on the children, both physically and mentally. Zola feared that they may feel the need to quit the journey.<p>

"Zola?" She turned to Marumaro. "Do you not like being back here, maro?"

She blinked. "It's not that, Marumaro. It's just that with everything going on, I didn't expect waking up back home."

"Hmm, will Kluke be okay, maro?"

After a moment of hesitaion, she responded. "To be honest, it's possible she may never wake up."

"Maro?"

"Using all that power overworked her," she explained. "If she will wake up, there's no way to determine how long it will be until she does."

The Devee frowned, glancing at his unconscious friend. He knew everyone was upset, Nene had done a major amount of damage to them. _He's so strong, maro. It's possible that we'll never beat him, maro._

* * *

><p>Shu wandered around the village, not paying much attention to his surroundings. The only thing on his mind was his best friend, she was hurt, and in a coma. He knew Zola had tried to make light of the situation, but he wasn't <em>that<em> oblivious. _Kluke, you have to wake up. You saved us from Nene, we need you; _I_ need you. _He kicked a stone in his path, sighing.

His thoughts moved on to Zola. _She must be having a hard time right now. With this defeat hanging over us, and out of the blue she's back home. It doesn't seem like she's been here for a while. _Shu clenched his fist. With a grunt, his fist collided with the tree he was near. "Man, why did everything turn out so terrible?"

"Because you're weak."

Shu whirled around, already knowing who was behind him. "Shut it, Jiro. I don't need your remarks."

Jiro crossed his arms, ignoring his sentence. "You're pathetic, did you really believe you could stand up to Nene?"

"Stop picking on me."

"How mature." Jiro rolled his eyes. "If only you were stronger, then Kluke wouldn't be in a coma."

"I said, _shut up_!" Shu pulled his fist back, ready to strike at the other boy. Jiro simply stepped aside, sticking his foot out for the dark-haired boy to trip over.

"Get the point, you act on impulse and as result your attacks are ineffective."

"Don't talk down to me when you didn't do any better!" Jiro's eyes widened in shock. Shu jumped to his feet and continued his assault. Jiro caught the hands that threatened to grab him, the two boys tried to overpower the other. Shu tossed them aside, breaking the hold, then delievered a punch that sent Jiro to the ground. He knelt down and grabbed his white collar. "If we trained harder, Kluke wouldn't be stuck in that bed."

"If you weren't so busy feeling sorry for yourself, we _could_ train." Jiro closed his eyes, smirking. "That's what I came to say."

"What's the point?" Shu punched him once more. "He's too strong."

Jiro glared at him. "Maybe you lost, but I haven't." Not giving Shu the chance to say anymore, Jiro punched his stomach, forcing him off. "I'm still alive. As long as I am, I'll never give up until Nene is defeated. I will have my revenge!" He stood. "People like you, who give up so easily, make me sick!"

Shu got to his feet as well. "You-"

"You both make me sick." A voice intervened. Shu and Jiro looked to the side, finding a girl their age. She had brown hair, held back by red-rimmed goggles. One hand was on her hip, the other dangled at her side. A scowl was on her face, and her crimson eyes burned with a mixture of negative emotions. "Fighting like stupid children, no wonder you lost to Nene."

"Who are you to call us children?" Shu demanded. "You're one, too."

"Who I am is none of your business." she spat. "However, _you_ are the ones intruding in my village. It'd be in your best interest to clear your names."

"We're not intruders, we just ended up here."

Jiro stepped forward. "Besides, if you won't tell us your name, we won't, either."

Her eyes narrowed. "Then prepare to die."

* * *

><p><em>To be continued...<em>


	2. Home Sweet Home

_1. Home Sweet Home_

Shu flailed his arms about. "Hey! Wait! We're not here to fight!"

Her expression didn't change, nor did the tone of her voice. "Then either explain yourselves, or leave this village immediately."

Shu lowered his arms, relieved that he could avoid conflict. Before he could explain their situation, however, his prideful rival intervened. "Don't order us around. A simple villager has no right to know our business, a child at that." Shu was ready to hit Jiro upside the head, but he didn't get the chance. What occured next surprised them both.

The girl was encased in a dull aura, her shadow slowly grew behind her. A snarl was heard as it burst out of the ground, taking the form of some animal. It had dark purple skin, partially covered with yellow-plated armor. Black hair stuck out from its head to lower back. Small black wings juted out from the shoulder blades. Its red eyes narrowed as it glowered down at the two boys.

Without warning the shadow shot forward, fist curled and arm back. Shu and Jiro instinctively leaped away, the fist left a crater where they formerly stood.

"I said we're not trying to fight!" Shu repeated, frantically. The girl didn't listen as her shadow struck again. Shu jumped away, and clenched his fists. "Fine then, if I have no choice. Blue Dragon!" His own shadow roared as he appeared.

Jiro followed in suit. "Minotauros!"

Minotauros smirked. "Oi, Jiro. What's with you and picking fights with the ladies, huh? Have you no manners?" Jiro's eyebrow twitched, his shadow could never resist making remarks.

Blue Dragon was looking at his opponent. He scoffed. "He doesn't look so tough."

The shadow remained idle. **_Aibou, _**he spoke telepathically with his User. **_Are you sure about this?_**

_Of course, _she responded. _What? You afraid you'll lose?_

He mentally scoffed. **_As if, but remember who they are. They're-_**

_I couldn't care less about who they are! They've brought problems that I don't need to deal with. Kill them, Amaterasu! _

Blue Dragon became irritated at the lack of action. "Are you just gonna stand there? Fine by me, a punching bag will work, for now." He opened his mouth and spat out orange flames. Amaterasu moved to the side, letting the flamethrower pass right by. He charged at Blue Dragon, avoiding each flame that was shot at him. From the corner of his eye, he noticed Minotauros closing in, prepared to ram him. Amaterasu smirked, twisting himself so he faced Minotauros. He caught the other shadow by his horns and tossed him in Blue Dragon's direction.

The girl's scowl deepened. _I'm not interested in playing around, Amaterasu. Finish them so I can call it a day. _The aura around her was blazing, Amaterasu was surrounded in it as well. His speed increased. _Our targets aren't the shadows, it's those boys. _Blue Dragon and Minotauros blocked his way, he only gave them a smug grin before disappearing in a flash of blue.

Shu and Jiro blinked, that light only appeared when a shadow was unsummoned. Had she given up?

Blue Dragon scoffed, glaring at the girl. "Gonna run off with your tail between your legs, coward?" Her response was the slightest smirk. The cries of their Users caused them to whirl around, both alarmed. Amaterasu had been resummoned behind them. He placed his hands on their heads, and shoved the boys into the ground, instantly knocking them unconscious. The two shadows growled as they involuntarily vanished.

Amaterasu crossed his arms. "That was too quick. You could've let me have a _little_ fun."

She shrugged. "I'm tired."

* * *

><p>Bouquet awoke early the next morning. She figured to repay Mariko for her hospitality by making the meals as long as they stayed. She yawned, stretching out her arms, and slowly climbed off the couch. Kluke was occupying the other, Marumaro was placed on the floor next to Shu and Jiro. As she looked over her sleeping friends, she saw something she didn't expect.<p>

Covering her mouth with her hand - to stifle her gasp- she looked at the two boys. Their faces were scraped, bruised, and slightly covered in dried blood. They'd gotten into fights before - even ones that became violent - but they didn't do that much damage. Had they been attacked?

She quickly went to their bags, retrieved their first aid kit, and started to work on treating her friends. It took no more than ten minutes to accomplish. She put the kit away, and went into the kitchen to prepare breakfast.

* * *

><p>It would definitely take some time to get used to waking up in her bedroom. Zola blinked in confusion before her whereabouts registered in her head. Throwing the blankets aside, she stood up and surveyed the room. It had been too long since she occupied it. There was dust collecting in certain spots, and the surfaces of any structures were decorated with old possessions.<p>

Her desk had a pile of books stacked atop one another. She looked at the cover of the first one; it was about archeology. A light smile crossed her face. As a child she adored archeology. She was like her father in that sense. Her throat grew thick and she moved away from the desk.

The next thing to catch her eyes was a picture on the nightstand beside her bed. She picked it up, and - after seeing what was in it - felt even sicker. It was a picture of her and her sister when they were young. She was leaning against the wall, reading one of her books. Her sister had tried to read along, but ended up falling asleep on her shoulder.

Zola put the picture back, and walked out of the room. She closed the door behind her, and looked to the end of the hallway. That door that led to the second bedroom; her sister's bedroom. For the first time in a long while, Zola's emotions were in absolute chaos. Releasing an uneasy sigh, she approached the door. She gripped the handle, but froze. She couldn't bring herself to turn it. She wasn't ready to face her sister.

_Not yet. _Her hand fell away from the handle, she turned around and walked downstairs.

* * *

><p>"What happened to you guys, maro?" Everyone had risen and were eating the breakfast Bouquet had made. (Mariko had spent five minutes thanking her, much to Bouquet's embarrassment.) Shu and Jiro had been the last to awaken and had just entered the kitchen.<p>

"We were attacked last night." Shu grumbled, sitting in his chair.

The others tensed. "By who?" Bouquet asked, hoping they hadn't been found by Grand Kingdom.

"Some girl. I tried to reason with her, but _someone,_" he cast a glare at Jiro. "wouldn't keep his mouth shut." Jiro glared back, but they were too exhausted to begin an argument. Shu started to eat, speaking between bites. "I think she's from around here, because she said we were intruding in the village."

"Was she a Shadow User?" Zola asked, paying full attention to his story. He nodded, his mouth full. "We'll have to keep an eye out, then. While she was probably only protecting the village, if she's an actual threat to us, then that wouldn't do us any good." Nothing more was said as they continued their meal.

Once they'd finished their food, Bouquet started gathering the dishes. As she placed them in the sink, she froze; a forgotten thought finally remembered. "Uh oh."

"What is it, Bouquet?" Zola asked, looking at her.

The girl scratched the back of her head. "Well, I'd meant to put a plate aside. You know.. for..." Zola nodded, realizing who she was speaking about.

Mariko realized it, too. "Don't worry, dear. She ate and left a long time before you woke up."

Bouquet sighed with relief, and continued with her task. Zola, however, wasn't ready to drop the subject. "She's gone?"

"Yes, she and her friends are always going off somewhere." Mariko answered.

"Does.. she know?" Zola asked, reluctantly.

Mariko nodded. "Yes. In fact, she was the one who found you all to begin with." Zola's eyes widened, a slight gasp escaping. "I think she's just coming to terms with you being home, again." She smiled. "Trust me, you'll talk when you're both ready."

Zola nodded, and rose from her chair. "I'm going out for a while. Bouquet, keep an eye on Kluke will you?" She gave an affirmative noise, not taking her eyes off the sink.

Shu jumped up. "I wanna go, too!"

Marumaro agreed with him. "Yeah, I wanna see where Zola grew up, maro!" Jiro didn't say anything, but he silently admitted that he was curious to see Zola's village.

Zola sighed, she intended to go alone. She wasn't certain she'd be able to contain her emotions as she made herself familiar with her home. Unfortunately, she knew the kids; if they wanted to do something, they'd do it with or without her consent. She nodded. "Very well."

* * *

><p><em>Things have hardly changed. <em>Zola noted, surveying her surroundings. They walked by mutiple food stands and small markets. The villagers strolled about, greeting each other like old friends. All the people did - in fact - know each other for years, as their home was small and held only a fair number of residents. She wasn't all that surprised, the people of her village were simpler than most. Her stomach twisted as she walked down the same streets she would run down as a child. Only back then she hadn't felt like a stranger, she was like any other adventurous youngster.

"It's a lot like Talta." Shu remarked, reminiscing about his home. With a slight shake of his head he looked up at his older friend, "Hey, Zola, why haven't you been here in so long?"

"The same reason I gave you to leave your village, Shu." she explained. "If I came back, I'd only be putting innocents in danger."

Shu nodded. "I get that, but, your mom just seemed to really miss you." Zola caught on to a hint of sadness in his voice. She mentally reprimanded herself. Besides herself and Marumaro, the rest of the childrens' parents were gone. Here she was, back at home for the first time in years, and she was acting like she didn't care.

She sighed. "I know, but it was the best course of action to take. I suppose after a while, forcing myself not to think about my home became natural. So I ended up forgetting about it." Shu was satisfied with the answer, and he dropped the subject.

"What's your sister like, maro?" The Devee sounded too eager to change the subject. "Is she like you, or completely different, maro?"

Zola took a few minutes to think about it, before hesitantly replying with, "I wouldn't know. She was only a few years old when I left. Anything I knew about her most likely isn't true anymore." Marumaro's ears dropped, sensing the strain in Zola's voice.

Jiro watched his mentor from the corner of his eyes. He understood that Zola was going through emotional turmoil, and the two idiots' questions were only making it worse. He sighed. He was never one to talk much, but he knew that it was his responsiblity to steer the topic onto something less personal. "While we're here it would be best to get some training done. With the way Shu and I were beaten so easily last night, we need all the time we can get."

Zola thought for a moment. "You three go ahead. There's something I want to do first. I'll meet up with you later." She looked off toward the village exit. "There should be plenty of space for you to train outside of the village. Don't overdo it, you still haven't fully recovered."

"Sure, but, what are you-" Shu's eyes caught Jiro's. The other boy shook his head, warning him to keep his mouth shut. Shu complied. "Fine, then let's go, Jiro. I'll beat you this time!" The three boys raced off, or rather, Shu and Jiro took off with Marumaro trying to keep up.

Zola shook her head, giving a short laugh at the boys. She continued her walk, her nerves wavered as she thought about her destination. Her journey took her a mile away from the village. A lone house stood outside of a small forest. The building was a light shade of brown, with the roof a darker shade of the same color. Wooden railing surrounded the raised porch that went around the entire house. Zola walked up the three steps that led to the porch. She hesitated before knocking, debating whether or not to turn around.

Unfortunately she didn't have time to decide. The front door swung open, a young man stood, surprised by the unexpected visitor. His eyes narrowed, before widening in realization. "Zola?"

"It's been a long time, Takashi."

* * *

><p>Bouquet sighed, placing her head in her hands. Everyone else was out exploring and she was the one that had to watch Kluke. The girl was in a coma, it's not like she would get into any trouble. Bouquet knew that the two of them never got along, but she didn't want to be the one to constantly look at their fallen comrade and be reminded how badly they failed.<p>

"Kluke?" Bouquet started hesitantly. "Um, I know you can't hear me, I don't even know why I'm talking to you, but... We all miss you, you know. Shu's a worried mess, and Zola feels terrible about what happened. I know we fight a lot, but that doesn't mean I don't care about your safety. Please, wake up. We need you, Kluke." The unconscious girl didn't respond, and Bouquet felt disappointed. She knew her words would do nothing, but she didn't want to sit around feeling useless. Her eyes stung, she had failed everyone; failed Shu. Her only job was to protect Kluke, and Kluke had been the one to receive the most damage. _I'm such a failure. _

The sound of the door opening caught Bouquet by surprise. She hastily wiped her eyes, and cleared her throat to collect her voice. "Mariko-san, is that you?" She didn't receive and answer, only the sound of footsteps moving. Bouquet rose from the couch and walked into the hallway. She looked at the door, which was wide open. She peered into the kitchen, it was vacant. "Zola?" She still didn't get a response. "Maybe I was hearing things." She went to close the front door, until she heard footsteps again. Bouquet whirled around and found a girl staring at her from the bottom of the staircase. She took partial relief that she wasn't losing her mind.

"You're Zola's friend, aren't you?" the girl asked, staring at her catiously.

Bouquet noded. "Yes, I'm Bouquet. Who are you?"

"I'm Mariko's daughter." she responded coldly. The girl strode by Bouquet in a quick pace, shutting the door behind her.

* * *

><p>"So tell me, Zola, what brings you back after all these years?" Takashi placed down two cups of tea, and took a seat across from the woman.<p>

"I hadn't planned on it, that's for sure." she started, taking a sip of tea to calm her nerves. "It was a mere teleportation accident, I just woke up here."

Takashi arched an eyebrow. "You're gonna have to explain from the beginning."

Zola was silent for several moments. "How much do you know about shadows?"

He laughed. "A lot. My little brother's a Shadow User, and you might not know this, but.. Your sister's one as well." Zola's eyes widened. "So you can say I've learned much from the two of them."

She sighed. "I'll save my question about for after I've explained my situation." Takashi nodded, and motioned for her to continue. "My comrades and I are Shadow Users, and a few days ago we decided to challenge Nene." Takashi's eyes narrowed. "We were easily beaten, and would've been killed. Thankfully, one of my comrade managed to summon her shadow. She not only saved us, but teleported us out of there. That's how I ended up here."

"Is everyone alright?"

Zola's tone changed. "No. The one who saved us, Kluke, is in a coma. It's possible she may never wake up. The others are distraught."

"I'm sorry." Takashi said.

She nodded. "Now, what you said about.. my sister," she practically forced the word out, it was so foreign. Not to mention painful. "can you elaborate? Give me some basic information about her?" She was undeniablly curious about her sister.

"You haven't talked to her?"

"I haven't seen her. We got here just yesterday." He nodded, satisfied with the answer. "Besides, I.. can't. Not yet."

Takashi's eyes were sympathetic. "I understand." He sighed, and let out a short laugh. "Well, where do I begin? She's as reckless and stubborn as she ever was. She's a strong fighter, and the leader of our little group." Zola arched an eyebrow, so he clarified. "I'm no Shadow User, but I am good with a sword, as you know. Along with Zoe and my brother, there's one other Shadow User. We've been keeping this village protected for years now."

Zola felt her throat thicken slightly. "Define years."

He looked at her through half-lidded eyes. "Years as in: ever since you left."

"I don't understand."

"Zola, right after you and your father left, Nene sent his forces to destroy this village."

* * *

><p>Marumaro watched as Shu and Jiro did pull ups on a thick tree branch. Shu had been faster at first as he was determined to do more than Jiro, but using all his strength right off the bat eventually wore him out. Now he was slower, his face was bright red and he was heavily sweating. Jiro did his pull ups at his own pace, and was hardly breaking a sweat.<p>

"We're done." Jiro let go of the branch and landed perfectly on his feet. Shu's landing was less graceful; he fell flat on his back, breathing heavily. Jiro tossed a look over his shoulder. "Quiting already?"

"No way!" Shu pulled himself up into a sitting position. Jiro shook his head and took off running. "Hey!" In a split second, Shu was on his feet and chasing after his rival. Marumaro ran after them.

The Devee smirked as he passed his two friends. "Sorry guys, I'm just faster, maro."

By now the three boys were training in a forest they had found not far from the village. They dodged trees, jumped over fallen logs, hopped on the rocks to get across the river, and kept an eye out for anything that could pop out unexpectedly.

"Okay," Shu breathed, his hands on his knees to balance himself. They'd spent at least an hour training. "I think... we're done." Marumaro agreed as he collapsed on his stomach. Jiro was leaning against a tree, his breath was uneven, but not as bad as Shu's. Once he caught his breath, Shu straightened himself. "I'm going to head back to Mariko-san's place. I wanna check on Kluke." The other two watched as he ran off, surprised that he'd been close to passing out moments ago, but aquired a new burst of energy.

Jiro pushed himself off the tree and walked away. Marumaro raised his head off the ground. "Where are you going, maro?"

"A walk."

* * *

><p>Zola took a deep breath to compose herself. She was shocked by what Takashi said, especially since she had thought otherwise. "Nene attacked this place, right after we left?" Takashi nodded his head. Zola felt a smoldering anger. "But he'd told Otousan that if he cooperated with him then this village would be kept safe."<p>

Takashi snorted. "And you actually believed him? Nene's cold-blooded, manipulative, and will do anything to get what he wants. Making false promises is nothing that'll haunt him." He took a drink from his tea. "His first attack had been nothing but simple. No Shadow Using generals had been sent, but the average soldier. I'd been able to take out the majority of them, but their boss was too much for me. Your sister had been the one to save everyone."

Her eyes widened. "If this happened soon after we left, then she was only-"

"Five. I know."

"So, how did-"

"That's a complicated question to answer." Takashi sighed, clasping his hands together. "To this day, we're still not sure why, but on that day Zoe didn't really draw out her shadow. It's was more like, an outburst. A soldier had ripped her away from Mariko-san, they seemed to have certain instructions because she was ordered for capture."

"To keep a threatening hold on Otousan and I."

He nodded. "She struggled, and screamed. All of a sudden there was this aura surrounding her, then an explosion. The entire army was killed, but Zoe was completely unharmed, however she did fall unconscious. The faded, smokey being that represented her shadow placed her in my arms, and disappeared. It took two years until we saw him again. I've always wondered why she'd been able to summon him at such a young age."

"A moment of desperation, possibly?" Zola offered, remembering her own experience in summoning Killer Bat. "Or she's just that powerful."

Takashi laughed. "She is, and that's what I've always thought." Zola leaned back, crossing her arms. The information was interesting, but she felt disgusted. Takashi looked at the woman across from him. "You don't plan to stay long, do you?"

Zola sighed, knowing the question was going to arise. "No. Once Kluke wakes up- If she wakes up- we'll be leaving."

He didn't comment on that, but he did say, "You should spend some time with her." Zola's eyes locked with his. "It'll be difficult at first, but I know she really missed you."

She nodded, and rose from her seat. "Thanks for telling me all this, Takashi."

"Anything for an old friend." He walked her to the door. "I'll see you around, right?"

Zola smiled. "You will."

* * *

><p>When Zola returned home she realized how long she'd been gone. Shu, Jiro, and Marumaro had returned from their training. Bouquet and Mariko were preparing dinner.<p>

Shu walked into the kitchen. He dropped into his chair with a sigh. "Kluke hasn't shown any signs of waking up." He wiped his face with his hand to regain his composure. _There's nothing I can do. But Kluke's always been strong spirited, she'll pull through this. I know she will!_ He looked up and noticed Zola's arrival. "Hey, you never met us at the training area."

"I apologize, I got caught up."

"Oh, Zola," Bouquet started. "I kinda met your sister today."

Everything seemed to stop at Bouquet's words. Zola exhaled before replying with, "Really?"

"All we really did was introduce ourselves, I think she was in a rush." She really believed that the girl simply didn't want to be around her. "But she looks so different from you, Zola."

Mariko nodded. "Zoe took more after her father. If she'd been a boy, she'd be a carbon copy of him."

"And that's the last thing I need." A voice commented. Everyone's eyes went to the threshold of the kitchen. A girl stood leaning against it, her eyes cold. They scanned the faces of all the unfamiliar people in the room, before finally landing on Zola's.

* * *

><p><em>To be continued...<em>


	3. Not Such A Warm Welcome

_2. Not Such A Warm Welcome_

It wasn't her abrupt appearance that made Zola go numb, but rather the energy she _felt _coming from her. What made it all the more unnerving was the fact that her expression gave no hint that she was angry, not even her eyes. Yet at the same time, Zola could feel a deep hatred from her sister, hatred that was directed at her.

"You're just in time, Zoe, dinner's just about done." Apparently, Mariko didn't feel the tension that Zola had.

Zoe removed her eyes from the older woman, and looked at Bouquet. She had met the girl earlier, but at the time didn't care. She still didn't, but now that they were in the same room, she'd have to be polite. "You cooked?"

Bouquet blinked. "Yes. I figured that since you're allowing us to stay here, I could help out with the meals." She nodded, but said nothing.

At that time Jiro walked into the kitchen. He'd heard an unknown voice and came to see what was going on. Once his eyes fell on Zoe he tensed, and sharply inhaled. Zoe looked at him, her expression remained stoic but her eyes showed slight amusement. "You-" Jiro started, angrily. He stopped as he thought about why she was here. It took a moment, but the pieces slowly put together in his head. His eyebrows furrowed. "You're kidding me. _She's_ your sister?"

Shu looked up at his rival's voice. He'd been stuck thinking about Kluke that he tuned out the world around him. "Jiro, what's-" He turned his head to find out what Jiro was glaring at. His jaw dropped and he jumped from his seat. "You're the one that attacked us last night!"

The others gasped, and threw their eyes on Zoe, who stood there nonchalantly. Mariko was that first to react. "Zoe." Her tone was that of reprimandment.

She shrugged. "I asked who they were, they never gave me an answer. So I responded defensively."

"_We_ were the ones who had to defend ourselves!" Shu cried, pointing an accusing finger at her. "You're the one who didn't listen to me. I tried to tell you who we were." Another shrug was his response.

"Zoe, these are your sister's friends. I'd appreciate it if you'd be nice to them while they're staying."

Something dangerous flashed in Zoe's eyes at her mother's words. She pushed herself off the wall and walked toward the staircase. "I'm not eating." Her footsteps pounded on each step, and a final slam was heard when she shut the door.

Shu scowled. "What's her problem?"

Mariko sighed. "I don't know. She's always been wary around strangers, but..."

Zola released a breath. "I'll talk to her after dinner. Like you said, she's dealing with things her own way." Mariko nodded, and seemed to cheer up.

The six ate their dinner, Shu and Jiro were still upset. They would have to share a house with the same person that so easily defeated them. One who obviously didn't like them, either. Zola's nerves were still shaken. She'd never been one to dwell, or to be emotional, but the situation at hand made that difficult.

Mariko stopped eating, and decided to ask what had been occupying her mind. "Zola, when are you leaving?" Once again, everything seemed to stop. The kids halted their eating as well, waiting to hear Zola's response.

"When Kluke wakes up we'll decide where to go from here." Zola replied. "It's undetermined." She turned to the kids. "Of course, you all have a say as well. If you don't want to continue this journey, you have every right to leave."

Shu stood up. "Not me, I'm with you all way. Nene is not going to get away with all the evil things he's done. I don't care how long it takes. We _will_ defeat him!" Jiro nodded in agreement. He had his own reasons to persue Nene, and wouldn't be stopped by one - or several - defeat.

"I'm a defender of justice, maro. But most of all I'm a friend, I'm with you 'til the end, maro."

Bouquet smiled. "If Darling's going, then of course I'm going, too."

Mariko blinked. "Darling?"

"Don't ask." Shu groaned. He abruptly brightened up. "I'm going to get stronger, and I know just where to start. Zola, I'm going to have your sister help me train."

Jiro's eyes widened. "What?"

The optimistic boy turned to his rival. "You saw how strong she is, Jiro. She could really help me." He paused, another idea came into his head. "Hey! She should come with us! Zola, you can ask her." Jiro pinched the bridge of his nose, Shu was giving him a migraine. He was going to sit back and let Zola deal with his stupidity.

Zola had been silent during Shu's aloud thinking. She remembered what Takashi had told her. _If Zoe is really as powerful as he said, then she'd be a great help against Nene. _The only problem was the emotional stress it would entail. Zola wasn't sure if she could handle it. When Shu's words became directed at her, she drew her attention back to the conversation. "I suppose I could, but that doesn't mean she'd be willing."

Mariko nodded. "I'm afraid she wouldn't." The kids turned their attention to her. "Zoe feels her responsibility is staying here, protecting the village. I don't think she'd take up your offer."

"But if she leaves, whoever's attacking will stop." Shu remembered that being the case for his own village. "That's what happened when I left home."

"I don't know. She's awfully stubborn."

There was a chorus of, "So is Shu."

Once the meal was finished, Shu and Jiro went outside to spar. Their spirits replinished by their determination of beating Nene. Marumaro tagged along to watch as he had nothing to do, and because Bouquet was doing the dishes.

"Zola," Bouquet started, gaining the woman's attention. "I put a plate aside for your sister, and it'd be more appropriate if you brought it to her." Zola was about to suggest Mariko doit, but her mother had abruptly disappeared. With no other choice, she complied.

_Why does it seem that everyone is okay with the concept of Zoe and I being in the same room besides me? Had I imagined the tension? It's certainly possible with my emotions running amok. Then again I don't know her anymore, it could've been her natural personality. _That sick feeling developed in Zola's stomach. Ignoring her emotions for such a long amount of time, she couldn't indentify the strange ones she was beginning to deal with.

"No use standing outside the door." Zoe's sarcastic voice interrupted her thoughts. Zola found herself standing outside her sister's bedroom door. How long had she been standing there? Taking a deep breath she grabbed the handle again, this time actually opening the door. Zoe was leaning back in her desk chair, papers in her hands. "I said I wasn't hungry, your friend shouldn't have bothered."

Zola closed the door, she intended on staying for a while. Zoe looked up, and - realizing it too - put the papers down. "Bouquet didn't want you to feel left out. Just eat it whenever you do feel hungry." She placed the plate on the desk and took a few steps back.

There was an unbearable silence. Zoe eventually broke it. "What are you doing here?"

It took a moment, but Zola found the meaning behind her sister's question. "My comrade's shadow teleported us here unintentionally. I hadn't planned on ending up here."

Zoe nodded, as if expecting the answer. "That girl's in a coma, correct?" A nod was her answer. "For someone who's supposed to be so wise, it was stupid to bring children into a war. Much less take them straight to Nene. You were asking to die."

"They're Shadow Users-"

"With little training. If they were so powerful then Nene wouldn't be alive now, would he?"

Zola's eyes narrowed. "Not everything works out on the first attempt."

"I'm aware, but the fact remains you should've taken more time to train them. Then again you don't really _care_ for them, do you?"

"You don't know what you're talking about." Zola was irritated, but mostly confused. "I didn't come here to argue with you-"

"Then why'd you come in here at all?" Zoe stood, glaring at her sister. "Here's a hint: I don't want you here. But since I have to tolerate you I will. Just know that I won't be affected when you leave." Zola froze, her sister truly hated her. "Go back to your _friends_, and while you're here just stay away from me."

Zola sighed, and walked out of the room. She was absolutely clueless on what to make of this situation. _"It'll be hard at first, but I know she really missed you." _Takashi's words rang through her head. _He's the one who's been there while Zoe grew up. He would know what to do._ Unfortunately, she wouldn't be getting any answers now.

* * *

><p>"Who the hell does she think she is?" Zoe collapsed on her bed. Anger coursed through her body. "Showing up after all these years. Did she really think I would welcome her back?" She sighed, some of her anger seeped away. "Okaasan's happy, I guess <em>some<em> good came out of this." She violently shook her head. "When she leaves Okaasan will be depressed again, so scratch that last one."

_**Aibou, I've rarely felt this much anger coming from you. I thought you'd be happy by your sister's return. **_

_I'm anything but happy about this, Amaterasu. She doesn't belong here, and she is _not _m__y sister. _

Amaterasu remained silent. There were many things he could change his User's mind about, but this was not one of them. The only way this would be resolved would be by the efforts of the siblings. He didn't see that happening anytime soon.

He felt a prickling sensation, the same one he always got when there was danger. He didn't have to say anything, for Zoe had already jumped off her bed.

* * *

><p>Takashi smirked, another quick stroke of his sword taking down the Grand Kingdom soldier. It'd been quite a while since he was allowed to fight on his own. Normally whenever the village was attacked, the trio of Shadow Users were the first - and practically only - ones to fight. This time he'd been the first one to intersept the army, and he was enjoying the thrill of battle.<p>

_Then again, it _is_ pretty late. Mariko-san probably won't let her out of the house, especially since Zola's home. And we're too far out for the others to realize they're here. _His smirk turned into a grin. He knew his old friend had a challenge ahead of her; he was aware of the hate Zoe held for her sister. He also predicted Zola coming to him later for help, he was that close with the siblings, he could read them so easily.

He whirled around and brought up his blade, stopping his opponent's sword mere inches from his face. He delivered a hard kick to the soldier's abdomen, following with another strike of his sword. Takashi turned back to fight off the rest that attempted to jump him while he was distracted. The adrenaline that coursed through his veins restrained all the fatigue he'd felt from prior training. He knew he'd be incredibly sore tomorrow.

"_Lightning Sphere!_"

Takashi let out a breath of relief. A familiar ball of blue electricity struck the mass remains of soldiers. He smiled, turning around. "Thanks."

Amaterasu disappeared, and Zoe shrugged. "You already took out most of them, I just relieved you of the last pack."

He sheathed his sword. "I'll take you back." Zoe nodded, knowing that was his way of saying "Let's talk".

As the two walked back to the village, they were unaware of the barely alive soldier. He flicked on the communicator he wore on his ear. "R-Rogi-sama..."

Zoe walked with her arms behind her head. She waited for Takashi to start talking, having a vague idea about what he wanted to discuss. She closed her eyes, soaking in the silence of her sleeping home. She suddenly felt happy and safe, wrapped in the security she only felt in the village. A sigh escaped her lips, it was one of those rare moments where she didn't have to constantly be on alert.

A nudge from Takashi brought her back. She looked at him, and her arms fell to her sides. "I hear Zola's returned." Upon hearing the name, she turned her head forward again. He observed her reaction, noticing how her shoulders shot up slightly. "Mariko-san must be overjoyed." Zoe dipped her head. "And you?"

"What about me?"

"How do you feel about it?" Zoe only shrugged. Takashi smiled. "Don't hide your thoughts from me because I'm her best friend. Tell me what's on your mind."

She was reluctant, but eventually said, "I don't like it."

"Why not?"

"She's going to leave, again." She stated as thought it were obvious, which it was.

His eyes narrowed. "But that's not what's bothering you." His friend - scratch that - his little sister didn't reply. Although, he could see how tense she was. He knew this was a sore subject, but he'd expected her to explode on him. After several minutes of no answer, he sighed. Takashi placed a hand on top of her head. "I'm sure you'll hear this a lot, but try and talk to her. It'll be better for the both of you."

She held back a sarcastic laugh. _It's not just a matter of I don't want to, but also that I can't. _Aloud, she responded with, "I don't want anything to do with her. It'd be better for the both of us if she stayed away." Her house was in sight, and she was quick to end the conversation. "Okaasan doesn't know I left. I need to get back before she checks and finds I'm not there."

Takashi sighed, knowing she was avoiding the topic. "Alright, sweet dreams, Imouto."

"You, too, Niichan."

* * *

><p>Zola rose early that next morning, She figured it was due to the thoughts plauging her mind, the ones that refused to allow her sleep for most of the night. Today she planned to go to Takashi's, and to finally put those thoughts to rest. She finished putting on her normal attire before stepping out of her bedroom. As always, when she left her room she couldn't help but glance to the door on her left.<p>

Last night she had stepped out for air, and caught sight of Zoe running off. She contemplated following her, but knew the chances of keeping up with her were slim. She wasn't awake long enough to know whether or not she came back. Zola sighed before approaching the door, but just like the previous night she found herself frozen. Was it that difficult for her to face her sister?

_It's not different from checking on Shu and the others. Besides, she's my sister, I'm _supposed_ to check on her. _Before she could grab the handle, the door swung open.

Zoe didn't seem surprised to discover her standing there. "Don't make this a habit." She moved around Zola and trotted down the stairs. Zola blinked, registering what took place. She shook her head before following the younger girl downstairs. She ended up in the kitchen, watching Zoe prepare breakfast for herself. During the entire process neither spoke a word, either because they couldn't or didn't want to.

Zoe sat down at the table with her eggs, toast, and a cup of orange juice. She quickly shoveled the food into her mouth, but took her time drinking her juice. Once she placed the dirty dishes - minus the cup - in the sink, she turned to Zola. "I thought I asked you to leave me alone."

"Isn't it my job to watch out for you?" she responded lightly, mostly to ease her nerves.

She received an angry look. "No, it's not."

Zola thought about how to respond. She didn't normally talk much, but she always talked to her sister. It was so hard for her now; she didn't like it. Obviously Zoe didn't want to talk to her, but Zola knew she had to. Releasing another sigh, she asked, "Where did you run off to last night?"

Zoe raised an eyebrow. "Keeping tabs on me?"

"Someone has to, Okaasan didn't know where you were all day yesterday." Her tone changed to that of slight reproach. "You shouldn't make her worry-"

"Don't you _dare_ talk to me about that!" The force from Zoe's angry grip caused the glass to shatter in her hand. The juice was gone, leaving only shards to fall to the floor. She winced, feeling glass pierce her flesh. She hastily removed the glass from her hand.

Zola moved to her side. "Are you alright?"

Once she realized her sister was so close, Zoe leaped back, glaring dangerously at her. "Stay away from me."

Shu stumbled into the kitchen, half-asleep. "Wha.. What's going on?" He caught sight of Zoe's bloody hand. "Ack! Bouquet!"

"What is it?" The requested girl came in the kitchen to see why she was needed. She saw the wound and gasped. "Oh, hang on."

Zoe shook her head. "I don't need your help. I'll take care of it myself." She started to feel uncomfortable with the numerous people crowding her. She was quick to move around them and bounded up the stairs.

Bouquet started picking up the glass on the floor. Shu sat down on the chair, trying to fully wake himself up. Marumaro and Jiro entered the room as well. "What happened, maro?"

Zola shook her head. "Nothing. I apologize for waking you all up." They all waved it off, and sat in silence until they heard footsteps coming back down. Zoe re-entered the kitchen, her hand was wrapped up with bandages.

She blinked. "You didn't need to clean up the glass, I would've done it."

"Well, you were fixing your hand, so I went ahead and did it." Bouquet replied.

Zoe scratched the back of her head with her good hand. "Uh, thanks, I guess." She made her way to the front door. "Tell Okaasan I'm going to Niichan's place for training."

Shu woke up. "Training? This early?" She nodded. "Can I come?"

She nearly burst out laughing. "I don't think thats a good idea."

He wouldn't budge. "Come on, please? I'm gonna need to work hard if I'm going to beat Nene. Lemme come along, please?"

Amaterasu laughed. **_I don't think you have a choice in this one, Aibou. _**

_What are you talking about? I can leave right now, or knock him out if he decides to follow. _Zoe sighed. "Look kid, not to burst your bubble, but you shouldn't train with people like us. You're not ready for that." She cast a cold glare at Zola. "Have her train you, if she can." With that said, she left the house.

Shu furrowed his eyebrows. "Did she imply that I'm weak?"

Zola sighed. It was a good thing Zoe wasn't being as rough on her companions as she was on her, but at the same time it was obvious she disliked them. She thought back to Zoe's words, and a single thought struck her, hard. _Who's Niichan?_

* * *

><p>General Rogi couldn't remove the smirk from his face, the most recent message he received went over again in his head.<p>

_"R-Rogi-sama.. W-we've found an opposing Shadow User.. in Hoshamu Village.. Requesting reinforcements!"_

Hoshamu Village. A name he could never forget. The moment he heard the message he ordered a change in course. As his ship grew closer to his new destination, he wondered who the Shadow User was. _It couldn't be her, otherwise he would've seen more than one. However, this is her home, it's very likely the person was her. _He felt his scar begin to ache. _It has to be. _His smirk grew. _You've finally returned home after all these years, haven't you, Zola?_

* * *

><p><em>To be continued...<em>


	4. Sibling Squabbles

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_3. Sibling Squabbles_

Shu sat on the arm rest of the couch, staring down at his best friend. Instead of the frown he often had, however, today he had a bright smile on his face. "Guess what Kluke? I know you're gonna wake up today. I woke up this morning with a good feeling in my gut. You remember how I had the same feeling the day we met Zola and Jiro? I had been excited all day, and then you told me the Knight Master was in the village. It was the same day I summoned Blue Dragon, and we decided to go on this journey."

He laughed. "Just wait until you wake up. I'm gonna show you around the village. Man, I can't wait to see your face when you realize where we are, and when you meet Mariko-san and Zoe." His smile faltered. "Well, maybe you won't be so happy when you meet Zoe. She's not the nicest person in the world, but I think if anyone'll get on her good side it'll be you. After all, you're the only person besides Zola that Jiro doesn't hate." He leaned back, hands behind his head. He had that feeling alright; he knew today was going to be a day of miracles.

* * *

><p>"Huh? No training today?" Zoe stared at the older boy in disbelief.<p>

"Nope." Takashi grinned. "Think of this as a vacation for the next few days." Zoe blinked, utterly lost. Her routine was training and patrolling. It was rare that there was a day to relax, but a vacation?

No, she knew him better than that. Her eyes narrowed. "This is because of her, isn't it? Look, I don't want her walking in and messing up my life."

He held up a hand. "That's not it at all, Zoe. I just figured that right now is a busy and stressful time for all of us. We don't need to train and get all banged up while there are more important things to focus on." Zoe remained unconvinced, and glared at him. "She won't be here forever, and just because you hate her doesn't mean all of us do."

Zoe's eyes softened, and she looked at Takashi. Zola had been his best friend after all, and her mother was overjoyed at having her daughter back. Happier than she'd seen her in years...

"Yeah," she said softly. "You're right."

Takashi gave her a strange look. The _last_ thing he expected was for Zoe to agree with him. He was prepared for screaming and her storming out. He scrutinized her closely, and noticed the way her eyes clouded and how they became unfocused. "Zoe, what's the matter?"_  
><em>

"Nothing." She said, swallowing down the ache in her throat. "I'm gonna go home then, take care of Okaasan's chores." She smiled, with slight difficulty. "I'll see you around." She started to turn away when Takashi placed a hand on her shoulder.

"I'd like the truth please." But she only shrugged his hand off and walked out.

* * *

><p>Shu stretched his stiff limbs, he hated staying in one place for so long. Besides sleeping that is. He looked back at Kluke, and felt himself becoming irritated. One of the strongest people he knew laid there vulnerable, it shouldn't have been that way. Kluke wasn't supposed to be that way. She was always the one waking <em>him<em> up for sleeping too long. The one that never liked to waste a second of the day; one of the reasons he was so high spirited was because of growing up with her.

He clenched his fists. "Damn it." He threw his head back. "Wake up, Kluke!" Bringing his head back down, his shoulders dropped with disappointment from no movement. Why had he expected a change? Things were never that easy. Then again, he was all for trial and error. He thought back to how Kluke used to wake him up, he snapped his fingers in realization. "Of course!" He fished into Kluke's bag and pulled out her high-tech tool: the frying pan. He started pounding on it with his fist. "Come on, Kluke! You can't lay around like a sack of potatoes, let's get a move on!" Again, there was no response from her, not even a twitch of the eyes. He stopped the noise, and stared sadly at her. His sadness quickly turned into anger. "I'm such an idiot!" He took the frying pan and slammed it down on his head.

Shu was still for several moments. He dropped the frying pan and collapsed on the ground, clutching his head. "Why did I do that?_!_" He felt tears pricking at the corners of his eyes, but he angrily blinked them away. He was done crying. The feeling of failure wouldn't leave him, and his eyes kept filling with tears. He wiped them away, but they'd just come back. One stray tear fell down his cheek, making him feel not only like a failure, but weak as well. "Why?.. Why!" He placed his arm across his eyes, hiding his tears from the world.

"Wha.. Who's making all the noise?" The female voice startled him. He jerked up, and found the once unconscious girl sitting up. He mouth hung open, a grin slowly formed on his face. More tears fell, but he didn't bother with them.

"Kluke!"

* * *

><p>Zoe took the long way home, jogging as she went. <em>I don't know about Takashi, but training <em>is_ my stress reliever. _At the thought of his name, she found herself once again brushing away the words he told her, along with the sick feeling she felt with them. But once her mother's smiling face from yesterday flashed through her mind, she found it impossible. _Okaasan's happy, and Takashi's happy. That's all that should matter to me. He's right, she won't be here forever. I'll just keep my distance until then._

_"Play nice you two."_

Zoe came to a dead stop. Her heart hammered frantically, but not because of her energy exertion.

**_Aibou?_**

_That sounded like..._

**_Hm? I didn't hear anything._**

_...yeah..._

She picked her pace back up and continued home, only now she was sprinting.

* * *

><p>Shu tackled his friend. "Kluke! You have no idea how crazy I was going! You had me worried si-" A sharp blow to his stomach sent him back a few feet.<p>

Kluke's eyebrow twitched. "Being glomped isn't my idea of a good morning." She turned her attention to her surroundings. "Hey Shu," The boy stopped his moaning and looked at her. "where are we?" He snickered, she looked back with an eyebrow raised.

"You'll never guess. We're in Zola's house!"

Kluke's eyes bulged out of her head. "W-what?_!_"

Shu nodded. "Yeah, it turns out you transported us here. We're in Zola's village. We've met her mom and her sister. Her mother's real nice," His expression fell. "but, her sister on the other hand.." She blinked. Shu shrugged. "Basically, she's worse than Jiro. She attacked me and him the first night we were here."

She nodded, still in shock and slowly absorbing the information. "Where's Zola?"

He scratched his head. "I don't know. She's been acting really weird since we've been here, though I guess it's understandable." He shook his head and grinned. "Oh well, no point in sitting around. Let's go find the others. I'm sure they'll be overjoyed to know you're awake." Kluke nodded and rose to her feet; she wobbled at first, not used to standing up, and nearly fell. Shu managed to catch her. He laughed. "Careful now."

The front door opened. "Anyone here?"

Shu smiled. "Just me, Mariko-san. Oh! And guess who woke up?"

Mariko rushed into the room. Kluke gasped at seeing a woman who looked very similar to Zola. Mariko smiled. "It's good you're awake, dear. Shu here's been a wreck, and your friends have been very worried." Shu laughed sheepishly, scratching the back of his head. "I'm Mariko, it's nice to finally meet you."

"Ah!" Kluke flew down in a bow. "The pleasure's all mine. I'm Kluke."

"You should take it easy. Your body needs to adjust to being up and running again."

"Yes, Mariko-sama." She just nodded and went upstairs. Kluke stared at her retreating figure in awe. _I can't believe I just met Zola's mother. I was so nervous!_

Shu grabbed her wrist. "C'mon, let's go!"

"H-hey! Wait a sec, Shu!"

* * *

><p>Jiro was pissed; he didn't know when he became Marumaro's babysitter, but he was prepared to strangle the Devee. He'd been out for some air when Marumaro ran up and hid behind him. A young girl was storming up to them. She had long blue hair tied back in a ponytail, and matching blue eyes. Only they held so much anger he was surprised they weren't red.<p>

"Okay kid, just give me the yellow thing and we won't have any problems." Her eyes stared dangerously at Marumaro, who held tightly onto Jiro's tunic like a fightened child.

He sighed. It wasn't his intention to help the Devee, but he would get an earful from either Shu or Zola if he didn't. "Listen, I'm pretty sure I know what he did to make you angry, but there's someone who'll punish him for it."

"I know, me. I'm not letting that thing get away unscathed." She shoved Jiro out of the way, a faint splashing sound was heard, and chased after Marumaro.

Jiro's eyebrows were twitching. He gritted his teeth as he pulled himself out of the fountain. _That Devee... is dead when I get ahold of him._

"Hey, Jiro!" He stiffened. The _last_ thing he needed at the moment was Shu. He whirled around to yell at the boy, but stopped when he noticed the person beside him.

"Kluke," He used all his will power to keep his lips in his usual scowl, but he was thoroughly relieved. He had been almost certain she would never awaken. "you're awake."

She smiled. "Yeah. I hope Shu wasn't too much." The mentioned boy protested, but was ignored. She examined the taller boy and noticed something. "Um, Jiro, you're all-"

He closed his eyes. "Don't mention it."

Shu turned to his rival, curious as to what Kluke was trying to say. He then realized his appearance. "Jiro, did you fall in the fountain?" He didn't bothering hiding his snickering. Jiro clenched his fists. "Shut up!"

"What?" Shu continued to laugh. "I can't hear you over the water splashing."

Kluke sighed as the two started exchanging insults. But nonetheless she was smiling. It was good to be back.

* * *

><p>"I'm home, Okaasan." Zoe announced, her breath heavier than normal. She walked around the house, but failed to find her mother anywhere. "Where could she- Oh wait, it's Sunday." She walked out to their backyard, and found her mother putting up laundry. She jogged over. "Let me take care of those, Okaasan."<p>

Mariko jumped. "Oh! Zoe, you scared me." She grinned sheepishly and apologized. "You're not training today?"

She shook her head. "Takashi decided it'd be best to take a few days off." Her voice lost some of its cheer. "You know, with everything going on." It picked up again. "So I thought I'd give you a day off. Let me do the chores today, please?"

Her mother smiled. "That's really sweet of you, Zoe." She placed the fabric back in the basket. "I've already cleaned the kitchen. So just the laundry and the front room. It's just all the pillows and blankets that Zola's friends left."

"Not a problem."

"Oh! That girl woke up today. What was her name... Kluke?"

"She did?" Zoe asked, a bit of relief coursing through her. She didn't know the girl, but she didn't want her to die, either. "Well that's great."

Mariko nodded. Zoe went to pick up the laundry from the basket and proceed to hang them up. "Um, Zoe?" Zoe made a _Hmm _sound. "I'd like to know what happened the other night."

Zoe paused. Her mother wasn't strict, if she didn't want to talk about it she knew her mother wouldn't press the issue. She also knew she could lie, but she couldn't certainly not to her. "I guess... Just surprise?"

Mariko gave her a look. "Really? Surprise? Zoe, when you found them outside the village, you left them there. Then you ignored them for two days while they recuperated. That's not surprise."

Zoe sighed. "I'm just...mad, okay? She left us for years. She never came back, she didn't even bother to write!"

"I understand, Zoe. But she's here now, and she's leaving. Can't we just leave the past where it should be and move on?"

"What has she done to make me forgive her, huh?" Zoe demanded. "She's hardly so much as said a word to me, and when she did it was to defend her friends or try and tell me what I should and shouldn't do! Why-!" She pressed her lips tightly together, refusing to say another word. She took a deep breath, and continued hanging the laundry. "Why don't you go spend some time with her? Like you said, she's leaving. Spend as much time with her as you can."_  
><em>

"Zoe-"

"Please.. I just wanna be alone."

Mariko frowned. She wanted so much for Zoe to be happy about her sister's return. _She was young, a time when she needed her sister's guidance but couldn't get it. Of course she's a bit rigid at the moment. She'll calm down, I'm sure, she just needs time. _She moved forward and hugged her youngest from behind, planting a kiss on top of her head. "You're a good girl, Zoe."

Zoe didn't say a word, just once again swallowed past her sore throat. She didn't turn to face her mother, nor did she look back as when walked away.

* * *

><p>"She's not here?" Zola asked, disappointment leaking into her voice.<p>

Takashi looked at her sympathetically. "Sorry, you just missed her, actually. I told her that it'd be best to take a few days off training since you wouldn't be here too long."

Zola arched a brow. "And she was okay with that?"

"Well no, she wasn't exactly happy with it, but she didn't argue with me about it like I expected her to."

"Do you know where she is now?"

"Said she was going home to help Mariko with her chores."

"I see." She looked at Takashi, her former best friend. Her mind suddenly flashed back to all the time they spent together: going to school, playing in the river, exploring the ruins, chasing down Zoe and Henry when they ran off to do something dangerous. A smile stretched upon her face as she remembered.

Takashi smiled back. "What's with that face?"

"Just remembering."

"That so?" An uneasy silence fell over the two. Zola bit her lip, wondering what to say. Fortunately she didn't have to as Takashi spoke before she did. "What happened to your dad? Zoe says she felt him die, but you're the only one who knows the truth."

Not a topic she would've picked, but it was something. "He is," she spoke softly. "We were investigating some ruins when they collapsed on us. He died protecting me from the debris."

He smiled sadly, yet fondly. "Doesn't come as a surprise. He loved you, both of you."

"Yeah, he did." The silence returned, but Zola was eager to be rid of it. "I apologize."

"For?"

"It's hard to communicate with others. After the ruins collapsed I was lost and on my own. I stayed on my own for a very long time, and in that time I made sure I locked all my feelings away so I couldn't be hurt again." she explained. "After meeting Jiro and Shu and the others, I realized how hard it had become to get comfortable around people."

"I understand. It must've been difficult for you."

Zola looked at him. "Are you mad at me, too?"

He furrowed his eyebrows. "No? Why would I be?" Zola stared at him, but he quickly understood. "Not all of us are like Zoe. Actually, she's the only one who's upset with you."

"But why?" Zola asked. "There has to be more than just me not coming home. I doubt even Zoe would hold a grudge for that long."

"I don't think you have any means to be saying anything about Zoe's character," Takashi reminded her, sounding a bit harsher than he meant to. "I'm not taking either side, but you have to realize everything she's been through."

"I do understand," Zola defended. "I just don't see why you and Okaasan can forgive me but she can't."

"Because you're her sister. Siblings have such a strong connection, and I think when you decided to not come home Zoe took it as your way of breaking that connection. To her, your mom, your home. I guess to her it felt like betrayal, or abandonment." Zola remained silent, unable to think of something to counter his statement. "You know, she didn't always hate you." Zola looked at him in disbelief. "The first few years, she was so optimistic. She always told me about how you come home, and how you three would be a family again. Whenever somebody left for a trip she asked if they could find any information about you, but no one ever could. As the months turned into years she slowly have up hope. I think it was when she turned about 9 that she started to resent you. She stopped mentioning you, if your name was brought up she clamped up or changed the subject. We all found out she didn't like you when she screamed at us once and told us to stop mentioning you. She said as far as she was concerned you were dead and she didn't care anymore."

Zola allowed everything to sink in. She crossed her arms and looked down. "I wish I'd gotten here just a bit sooner.. Maybe things would be different."

"No point think about 'what ifs'." he advised. He thought for a moment. "Why are you telling me all this?"

"Pardon?"

"Explaining yourself and apologizing. Shouldn't you do that to the ones you hurt the most first?"

"I..." She couldn't argue; he was right.

"I'll tell you one thing about Zoe. She won't like you nor will she respect you until you've done something to prove she should. And you haven't really respected her either."

"What're you talking about?"

"You just expect her to forgive you like I have. You forget how close you to were, she can't just ignore being alone and abandoned by you and just cast it all to the wind the day you return after so many years." Takashi stood up. "Go see her, make things right."

"You really think I can?" Zola asked, uncertain.

"I do. I think Zoe is still just more hurt than angry, but like her big sister she doesn't want to appear weak."

Zola smiled at the comparison. She thanked Takashi for his advice and promised to return. With Zoe. With her sister back.

* * *

><p>Shu and the others returned to Mariko's home so Jiro could dry off and change clothes. Upon entering, a warm and pleasant aroma filled their noses. Shu's mouth started to water. "Bouquet must be cooking dinner!" He raced into the kitchen, and as he predicted, he found a pot on the stove with steam coming out of it. "Man, that smells good!"<p>

"Shu," Kluke warned. "I don't think you should touch that."

"C'mon, I know Bouquet wouldn't mind." He licked his lips and reached to grab the pot lid. Before his hand could come very close, a wooden spoon smacked down on it, hard. "Ow!" He screeched, cradling his beaten hand. He glared at the spoon, his eyes tracing up its handle, up the person's arm, and into Zoe's matching glare. He flinched back when he realized who it was.

Kluke's eyes narrowed at the scene. Shu hardly flinched. The only ones she could recall him flinching for were herself, Zola, and his grandfather. Beside her, she heard Jiro tense. Once she looked over at him she was taken aback by the anger on his face. She laid her eyes back on the new girl. What exactly had occurred in her absence?

"Maybe she wouldn't mind," Zoe said. "but I do."

Shu blinked. "You cooked?"

Zoe scowled at the disbelief in his voice. "Do I look like I'm incapable of the task?"

"Well, no, it's just..." he trailed off, realizing he wouldn't make sense.

She rolled her eyes. "If you're going to be stupid, don't be stupid around my cooking."

Kluke had enough. She stepped forward. "Shu is _not_ stupid!"

Zoe turned to the younger girl. "You're the girl who was in a coma, right?" Kluke nodded. "Then I suggest you don't butt your nose in on something you don't understand."

"What I do understand," Kluke took another step. "is that you're being rude to someone who never did anything wrong to you!"

"And how do you know that, Ms. BrainDead?"

Kluke gritted her teeth. _The nerve of this girl! _"Well did he?" She shot back. "Tell me, what did Shu ever do to you?"

Zoe opened her mouth, but nothing came out. Her eyes widened as she realized that no, _Shu _hadn't been the one to set her temper off that night. Shu had tried to resolve things peacefully and explain. It was his friend.

Kluke smirked, realizing she had won. "Exactly. He did nothing to you, so leave him alone."

Zoe growled, and quickly grabbed Kluke's collar. The girl shrieked as she was pulled slightly off the ground. "Look here, you little-"

"_Put her down!"_ All eyes turned toward the threshold. Zola stood in her team-leader mode: Body language calm yet threatening, her hard, cold eyes set dead on her sister. Shu, Jiro, and Kluke felt a wave of relief wash over them, as they always did when they say their friend. She knew how to handle things. Zola stepped into the room. "Whatever problem you have with me, you _do not _take it out on my comrades. Do you understand me?"

Zoe dropped Kluke, who immediately backed away near Shu. "I am not so childish I would treat others badly for _your_ screw ups. Your friend just pushed my buttons, but she was right. And our argument has nothing to do with you. So butt out." She turned back to the stove and stirred the contents of the pot. She felt awkward, knowing she had four pairs of eyes staring at her back. With a sigh, she turned to Shu. "Should be done in about fifteen minutes, until then could you please give me some space?"

Shu's jaw dropped; that was the first time she'd spoken to him politely. "Um, sure. We just came to..." Jiro cleared his throat, drawing attention to his soaked body. "Right! Towels, clothes for Jiro."Shu scrambled out of the room. Jiro and Kluke gave Zoe another wary look before following after him.

Zoe waited for Zola to leave as well, but in a small corner of her mind she knew she wasn't going to. After several minutes passed and still feeling her eyes burning into her back, she sighed. "What?" _Can't I just be left alone?_

"We need to talk." Zola stated bluntly.

"Hmm, no." Zoe answered just the same.

Zola blinked. The response had slightly stunned her, but she shook it off. "Well, you don't have a choice." Zoe only snorted, but didn't say anything else. "Why're you mad at me?"

She gave a bitter laugh. "Doesn't take a genius to figure it out."

"It has to be more than just me not coming home. Okaasan and Takashi forgive me. Why can't you?" No response. "Zoe?" Still no response. Zola started to get angry. "Answer me!"

Zoe turned the stove off. _Ignore it. Be the bigger person. Just walk away. _She made her way out of the kitchen.

"No. Zoe, we're settling things now!" Zola hurried to reach her sister, but as she shot forward her foot caught with one of the table legs. She let out a gasp and stumbled forward. Zoe turned around to see what the commotion was only to be tackled to the floor by Zola. The wind was knocked out of her as Zola's weight crushed her lungs against the wooden floor. Zola, taking advantage of her being disoriented, pinned her sister down to the floor.

"Get off me!" Zoe began to struggle with all her might. She was used to wrestling with Henry and Takashi, but her sister seemed like a large cinder block compared to the weight of the two boys. "I don't wanna talk to you! I don't want anything to do with you! Just leave me alone. It's not like you'll ever come back anyway!"

Zola made sure to keep her sister's arms down, despite being taken aback by the comment. It was the first hint she received to how Zoe felt about her return, besides the loathing feelings she harbored. "Zoe," she started softly. "I don't want you mad at me anymore. I'm home now-"

"And you'll never come back!" Zoe shouted, glaring up at her. "You'll just go running off with those damn kids of yours! The ones you picked over Okaasan and I!" Zola was stunned into silence. But at this point the words could no longer stop themselves from flowing out of Zoe's mouth. "Once you left you stopped caring! We didn't matter to you anymore. You left Okaasan here worried sick about her daughter, lost and alone in some part of the world she didn't even know existed. Okaasan cried everyday.." Zoe's voice faltered. "Even when she thought I couldn't hear... I heard her everyday. Crying over the husband she lost, and over the daughter that didn't bother to return or even write." Her voice grew louder now, full of anger. "She was so worried about you that she never realized she had another daughter, who spent everyday of her life from that point on doing anything she could to make her life easier and happier. The one who always tried to bring a smile to her face, to make her happy again, to make her realize that she still had something good in her life. But she never saw it. Wanna know why?" She was screaming now. "Do you?!" Zola flinched at the volume. "Because I wasn't you!" Zola froze. The force of her sister's words ripped all emotion out of her. She felt nothing; she was numb. "It didn't matter that I was there striving so hard to fill the hole that you and Otousan left! All she wanted was you! She waited for you for years, and you never came back for her!" Her voice lowered again as it begun to crack. "You didn't come back to make her happy again...and I couldn't do it... She didn't want me..." She screamed, "She wanted you! Everyone wanted you! Instead of..." She swallowed, an almost impossible task. Her breathing was shallow, and to Zola's horror, her eyes glimmered with un-shed tears.

A creak in the floor caused Zola to glance over her shoulder. Her eyes widened upon seeing her mother standing only a few feet away. Tears cascading down her cheeks. Behind her stood Bouquet and Marumaro, who looked on shocked and uncomfortable. Beside them was Takashi, who looked at Zoe with such sad eyes it struck a chord in her heart. With him were a younger boy and an older girl, both gave Zoe similar looks.

_They heard everything..._

Zoe, knowing who was all in the room, grew flustered with embarrassment. She clenched her fists, and called upon all her strength. Her aura faintly illuminated her body. Zola turned back in shock. She jerked her body forward with enough strength to throw Zola off her. She was on her feet in a flash, and glared around the room. Her face turned bright red from her neck to the tips of her ears. Without another word, she bolted to her bedroom, shutting and locking the door behind her.


End file.
